I bet no one has been able to miss the enormous popularity that leopard print has gained recently (or if you have, where have you been?!). The huge rise of the trend started already in the early summer months but it's continuing over into the autumn, and actually all the way into the next spring/summer season too as the print has been featured on the S/S19 runways of various different brands. I've talked about the trendy print a number of times too, but what can you do when you just seem to be as obsessed with the print as at least half of the world's population right now. For some leopard inspiration, I gathered together three of my recent looks featuring the trendy print, let me know which one is your favourite in the comments!

1. Leopard shirt. At first I thought if a full on leopard print shirt would give too much of 'old lady' vibes, but not at all! I've worn this shirt so many times already and always feel really good when I have it on. On the upper body leopard print also looks especially good in jacket and coats - whether that's lighter denim numbers or full on faux fur coats.

2. Leopard accessories. If a full piece of clothing in leopard print feels a bit too much and out there, then accessories are a brilliant way to add some leo action into your looks. The print looks particularly good in scarves, but I've also spotted plenty of gorgeous leopard print shoes! For the most shy leopard trend experimenter a pair of earrings or sunglasses would be the best.

3. Leopard skirt. Lastly my personal favourite, the leopard print skirt! You come across the leopard print especially in skirt versions a lot on social media, and alongside the classy midi you can get mini, knee length, maxi, denim, silk, satin, leather... Anything and everything to be honest! To my classic style the pleated midi skirt suits best, but I have to say that some girls are absolutely rocking the leopard print denim minis!

You don't have to read my blog or scroll my social channels (or just know me in person) for long, before it becomes pretty evident that this girl loves her blazers! In my opinion there's always room for another blazer in my wardrobe as I tend to wear them multiple times a week and a little change and variation always does good. Blazers are just so easy to wear with all kinds of different outfits, and there's so many options out there that everyone surely finds one that they like. Especially now that Autumn is in full swing I'm reaching towards my blazers more often again as they really give me that 'boost' for days in uni and work well as a layering piece when the weather gets cooler. Like I said, there's always space for another blazer in my wardrobe, and right now I'm dreaming of (surprise surprise) animal prints, autumnal colours, corduroy, more checks and something a little bit dressier for evening occasions.

The leopard skirt craze has been strong lately, and the start of it can probably be pinned down to thisgorgeous Réalisation Par beauty of a silk leopard skirt. The skirt is absolutely stunning, but spending almost £150 on a skirt is way out of my budget. Luckily a lot more affordable options started to pop up really quickly, and so I managed to get a leopard print midi skirt into my wardrobe as well. You can find a leopard skirt pretty much in any shop right now, but I ordered mine from Asos a couple of weeks ago. I had my eye on this one for quite some time as it always sold out super quickly, but when I finally spotted it in stock in my size I quickly clicked it to my shopping basket. Together with the skirt I also ordered the layered chakra necklace, that I've also used multiple times already.

This leopard skirt and cashmere jumper outfit has been my go to lately and I've worn it numerous times as it is just so comfy and looks good! The last time I was wearing this look was last Friday when lunching at the fairly recently opened Kilmurry & Co. restaurant in Glasgow with my almost-neighbour Finnish friend. So I've definitely been quite an outfit repeater with this one, but since it just works so well then why on earth not? And I have a feeling I'll be waring the skirt in different combos for a number of times this autumn as I've really fallen in love with the print.

Lastly I just have to mention a super easy and sneaky way to prolong the use time of any of your midi and maxi length items further into the autumn. Just wear a pair of leggings underneath as an extra layer of warmth and you're good to go. And no one can be even able to tell! I was actually using the trick myself last Friday, and so also in these photos I have my lululemon yoga pants under the skirt to bring some added warmth. I was even thinking about investing in a pair of good old woollen thermals just so I can keep on wearing this skirt for even longer haha!

Have you already gotten on board with the leopard print trend, or are you staying as far away as possible?

21 September 2018

Muotiviikot on täydessä käynnissä, ja tällä hetkellä suurin osa maailman muotiväestä ihastelee (tai kauhistelee) näytöksiä Milanossa ennen kuin Pariisi päättää nämä "päämuotiviikot" niin sanotuissa muodin pääkaupungeissa. New York ja Lontoo on nyt siis nähty, ja tässä tulee mun kolme suosikkinäytöstä kummastakin kaupungista!The fashion week season is in full swing, and at the moment the fashion people of the world are admiring (or not) the shows in Milan before heading to Paris to finish off the fashion month in the 'fashion capitals'. So New York and London are seen now, and here are my three favourite shows from both of the cities!

With autumn I always notice how I start to use more lipsticks and make up in general. Especially this year when the summer was so hot and sweaty that even the thought of putting even a little bit fuller look on sent shivers down my spine, I've been really enjoying wearing and putting on more make up again. Eye shadows, blushes and also lipsticks have gotten more wear again lately, and it's especially these four lipsticks that I always tend to gravitate towards autumn after autumn.

This is my ultimate go-to lipstick, and as far as I'm aware of, it is that for many others too since this exact shade has definitely reached the cult status! In my opinion, Velvet Teddy is just the perfect darker nude for autumn and I wear this at least a good few times a week in my everyday life during the autumn months. Velvet Teddy has a matte finish, but despite that it's surprisingly comfortable to wear and it also stays put on the lips for a good amount of time.

Another autumn lip go-to for the everyday, and again a matte one! NYX Soft Mattte Lip Cream in the shade Stockholm is also a bit darker nude, but has more red tones in it so the final result is almost a rusty shade of red. Soft Matte Lip Cream is really easy to apply with the lipgloss-like doe foot applicator and the product really does feel soft and creamy on the lips, although the dry and tight feeling that's typical for matte lipsticks pushes through at some point of the day.

Whenever I'm wanting something lighter and a mauve-y nude, I grab the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Créme in the shade Sassy Mauve. Although the shade could certainly pass in day to day wear too, for some reason I tend to use this more at night time. For me this is one of the 'your lips but better' shades, and the créme finish is super comfortable to wear and actually does feel creamy as the name would suggest. When it comes to the finish of the lipstick, this one sits somewhere between matte and glossy.

I'm usually one to shy away from bright reds, but whenever I am feeling bold and adventurous you can be almost certain that the red on my lips is Lumene Wild Rose Lipstick in the shade Dawning. The shade leans more towards dark red rather than a traditional bright one, and that's why I think it's the perfect red for autumn. Bright and strong coloured lips are something I tend to wear on special occasions only, and this one has been quite a firm favourite for a good few years now. With the rebranding Lumene has recently gone through I'm not entirely sure if this exact shade is available anymore, but there's certainly something similar in the selection! (Pssst... Lumene now also ships internationally from their website!)

New week and a new video! This time it's something new and different again since all of my previous videos have been more vlog style, whereas this one is more thought through and themed. As some of you might have noticed I did quite a lot of second hand shopping over the summer, so I decided to compile all of my second hand purchases (that I haven't lost already...) together and show them to you all at once in a video format. And once again, any feedback you might have is highly appreciated! Wishing you all a great new week ♥︎

On Monday I wrote about how it's time for us women to start believing in ourselves and our skills, talents and abilities, so let's continue along the same lines on today's post too. The idea for this post came from Inka, and when I was reading her similar post it just made me feel so good and happy that I definitely wanted to put up a post of similar kind as well. We've all accomplished a lot of things to be proud of, so why not share some of those with others too instead of belittling ourselves? So thank you for the inspiration Inka, and I hope this post gives you some positive vibes to start the weekend with!

1. I moved away from home and straight abroad to study. This is definitely the biggest of my accomplishments so far, and the one I'm the most proud of. At first I couldn't quite understand the "wow you're brave" comments coming from other people, but now I've learned to understand that moving away from your family home for the first time and doing it with a bang and heading abroad isn't exactly for everyone. It's not always easy, but it's definitely worth it for me.2. I've managed to grow my blog and social media channels. Although my blog and socials are still very very tiny when put next to some others, especially during the last 12 months I've been able to develop my skills, grow my audience and network with others 'in the industry' thanks to hard work, effort and commitment. I'm no longer embarrassed to say that I have a blog, rather I'm proud of what I've built and created during these years.

3. I got the summer job I really wanted. As I wrote in Monday's post, at first it was difficult for me to believe that I actually really did get the job I wanted more than I've probably wanted anything else ever before. But so were the contracts signed and all I have from that job is good memories and experiences! 4. I got in to study my dream industry. Okay, adding to my last point about wanting the job more than anything ever before, one thing that tops it is that I wanted to study fashion in the UK. And here I am! Halfway through my degree, and although everything didn't go quite as originally planned and dreamed, I'm enjoying my time here and the studies are constantly moving from the more generic level to the more specific that also interest me more. I've still got about 1,5 weeks before my 3rd year classes actually start, but then it's time to fully get into the university routine again!

5. I've become more social and gotten rid of my hard shell. In her post Inka also wrote how she's gotten rid of her shyness, and the same thing applies over here. I'm still not the most talkative person in the group, and especially if there's a bigger group of people I prefer to take a back seat and just listen to others, but I'm definitely more sociable than a few years ago. I still like to have my alone time, but to balance that off I actually need time with other people too. Today I'm also more open about my thoughts and feelings, because I've learned to understand that "shared joy is double the size, and shared sorrow only a half".

Autumn is officially here, which of course means that it's time to start dressing according to the season too! I compiled a little check list of the autumn trends that appeal to me the most this year to help myself and hopefully you guys to put together autumnal looks. And whereas e.g. soft and cosy knitwear is a reoccurring trend every autumn, this year it's all about the animal prints that we already saw gaining popularity during the summer months. It all started with leopard print, but this season snakeskin pattern is almost sprinting ahead. And especially when it comes to shoes! The good thing is, this year the cosy and autumnal knitwear comes together with the animal print trend in different kinds of beautiful animal print jumpers and cardigans. When it comes to denim, the relaxed vibes are continuing into the autumn months with the mom style as well as culottes and bootcut jeans. On the accessories front the silk scarves and bold earrings in earthy tones (and in animal prints!) are remaining as a trendy favourite. At the end of the summer we also saw a lot of seashell inspired jewellery and the wear of those can certainly be extended to the autumn months too with the addition of the cosy jumpers and some denim bottoms.

Last week I was listening to the super inspiring Royal Bank of Scotland 100 Women panel discussion that had all kinds of true girl bosses discussing all things business and especially women in business. Sitting on the panel there were e.g. the amazing Emma Gannon and Glasgow was represented by Chloe from Mud Urban Flowers, and Louise who is the female Rusk of the hospitality company Rusk & Rusk. One of the topics discussed was impostor syndrome, the idea of how one's achievements and success is down to luck and being at the right place at the right time. A syndrome that unfortunately women are experiencing more than men.

The impostor syndrome is by no means stranger to me either and I can 100% recognise some of the traits in myself. It was actually not that long ago when impostor syndrome made an appearance in my life, as I put the getting of my summer job purely down to fortune and good luck. Throughout the spring I told myself and people close to me how "I couldn't believe it, this kind of thing doesn't happen to me, this is too good to be true". It was certainly difficult to believe and digest the fact that I had managed to score myself a fashion related summer job in Finland all the way from Glasgow.

I once read somewhere that when coming across with an interesting job advert men send in their applications if they match most of the required criteria, whereas women shy away from applying if there's even one point that doesn't apply to them. Why is it so difficult for us women to believe and trust ourselves and our abilities? Us women are just as capable, competent, educated and suitable for the positions as men are! Yes, business world used to be a man's world, and still do this day the vast majority of the higher positions in big companies are held by men, but isn't that exactly the reason for us to start trusting ourselves and our competencies in order to make something shift in that gender balance? It's 2018, technology is advancing at a rapid rate, people are eating crickets as part of a balanced diet, and thanks to the Internet, social media and airplanes the world is smaller than ever before. So how can it be that there's still so much to do when it comes to women in business?

However, no change is going to happen if we women don't start to actually trust ourselves and our skills and competencies. There's a reason you (and I) got that job or the place on that dream uni/college course of yours. There's a reason you're succeeding at work, your business is doing well, or you're getting good marks. And that reason lies solely in your skills, talents, capabilities and competencies. It's time to start seeing it yourself too ♥︎

As some of you might have noticed already, I got my hair shortened before returning to Glasgow. I ended up going with the effortless long hair all through the summer months, but now that autumn is here my hair definitely needed some freshening up. I sat down to Tiia's chair at Kamp32 and let her work her magic again, but this time she also did a Wella Reverse treatment to repair the dryness and damage in my hair. I also got the Wella Reverse product range to take home with me to make it easier for me to maintain and upkeep the healthy hair at home.

The Wella Reverse product range consists of a shampoo, a hair mask, a leave-in conditioner and the actual Regenerating Pre-Treat treatment. As the name would suggest, the treatment is done 'in reverse' and the treatment is applied to dry hair before shampooing. This way all of the ingredients are better able to get inside the hair follicles and you get the full benefit out of the product. Pre-Treat treatment helps to repair and renew the hair, and so it suits especially well for someone with a dry, quite thick and naturally wavy hair type like mine!

All of the Wella Reverse products are designed to nourish and repair the hair and to bring back their healthy and natural elasticity and shine. The shampoo can be used on a daily basis, whereas the Pre-Treat treatments work best when leaving a few washes in between. Generally it can be said that you should do the treatment again when you notice the last one to lose its impact.

I'm absolutely loving my new and fresh hair, and it definitely just feels a lot more like 'me', not to mention a lot more healthy! Especially now that my hair was treated to the Wella Reverse treatment it looks and feels healthier than it has been in a long time.

Last weekend when my friends and I were spending time together at the summer cottage, one of us asked us all to share the highlights of our summers as it was basically the last summer weekend. It felt good to stop for a little while to reflect upon the past three months and all those moments that have been part of my June, July and August. But what I loved even more, was listening to my best friends listing their summer highlights. It really is true that shared happiness is the best! I highly recommend doing this with your group of friends too the next time you're spending time together. Or even if it's just you and one other person! I wanted to share some happiness here on the blog too and list my top 3 summer highlights for you to see. And please let me know your summer highlights in the comments, I would absolutely love to read them!

1. WorkI can honestly say that work was one of the biggest reasons why this summer was one of the best ones of my life. I got to do work that I enjoyed, my colleagues were all absolutely amazing, and I was able to gain skills and knowledge on different areas. I'm also the type of person who can't just sit around doing nothing and needs something to bring structure to my days which is exactly what work does, so that's also a reason why work made this summer so good when compared to e.g. last year.

2. The Pori Jazz weekendI can't remember the last time I've had such a fun and unforgettable weekend than what was the one July weekend when we drove to Pori to enjoy the jazz festival atmosphere and visit the annual housing fair. The weekend consisted of old and new friends, good music, sleeping in a tent, super delicious festival food, laughter, fun conversations and dancing to the early morning hours. This is a weekend I will reminisce with a smile on my face for years to come!

3. The peopleI don't know if this is a little bit of cheating, but I just cannot not mention all the amazing people that have been part of my summer this year and therefore contributed to it being so great. Family, old childhood friends, work friends, blog girls... This summer I had the chance to get to know and spend time with so many wonderful human beings that even the thought of it makes me smile. It's quite amazing that the shy girl who has definitely had issues getting to know new people and let down her walls to let people near now has such an amazing group of people around her. Thank you all ♥︎

Let me introduce you to my autumn uniform! Mom jeans, simple t-shirts, blazers and dainty jewellery in different variations will surely be one of my most used outfits this autumn as this look can be put straight into the category of the ones that just make me feel really really good. This outfit could not have felt more 'me', and no wonder since it is comprised of all of my favourite fashion pieces.

At some point I'll surely have to switch the light t-shirt to warmer knitwear, but at least for these early autumn days the t-shirt and blazer combination works wonderfully. I will also have to dug out my boots and booties at some point or another, and right now I've been hit by such a strong leopard print craze that I'm dreaming about a pair of autumnal ankle boots in the said pattern. Other animal print dreams on my wish list are a midi skirt in leo print and a snakeskin patterned blouse, at least. Those are probably the things you'll see me wearing the most this autumn: the simple basic fashion pieces, along with different animal prints!

It's Monday again which also marks the second to last full day in Finland for a little while for me! Today and tomorrow will be spent getting all the last minute stuff done, and also getting together with Henna, Inka and Sara. I should probably pack at some point too... I just simply hate packing SO much that I always end up putting it off for as long as possible! Anyone else absolutely loathe the task of packing?